Refrigerating apparatus



Aug. 4, 1925.

E. T. WILLIAMS REFRIGERATING APPARATUS lave/22 02 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed April 28. 1920 6y fiLAflorneys Aug. 4, 1925.

E. T. WILLIAMS REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Original Filqd April 28 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l il ml llllllllllll lul mmuuwgyuyfllygu use.

Patented Aug. 4,1925. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD '1. WILLIAMS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

REFRIGEBATING APPARATUS.

Application filed April 28, 1920, Serial No. 377,165. Renewed February 4, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD T. WILLIAMS, being a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerating Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus, and particularly though not exclusively, to apparatus of the so-called flooded type, in which a considerable body of liquid refrigerant is maintained in the expansion or heat-absorbing chamber for absorption of heat from the surroundings.

More specifically the invention relates to the heat-absorbing or expansion chamber, and its chief object is to provide a chamber of large heat-absorbing capacity in proportion "to the amount of liquid refrigerant employed. Another object is to provide an efficient arrangement for obtaining in a suitable chamber a specially low temperature, say for the purpose of making ice for table To these and other ends the invention consists inthe novel features hereinafter described. The embodiment herein illustrated is designed particularly for use in small installations, such as household refrigerators, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited in that respect.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a section about on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan View.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View of the refrigerant inlet and lubricant outlet.

The apparatus comprises an outer tank 10 composed of sheet metal containing brine or other suitable non-freezing liquid. In systems designed for household or like use, the brine tank is preferably arranged in the upper part of a refrigerator, with the compressor and condenser (not shown) mountedoutside of the refrigerator, usually on top of the latter. In the brine tank, at the sides thereof, are two flues 11, 11, open at top and bottom. Air warmed in the lower portion of the refrigerator rises to the top of the latter, where it is cooled by the absorption of its heat by the brine, and entering the air-flues (which are immersed in the brine) descends through the same, giving up more heat as it passes down. At the same time air flows down the outside of the two air flues 11, 11, individually as clearly shown in Fig. 3, the coiled pipes 13 forming what may be termed the wings of a U-shaped chamber. Liquefied refrigerant is supplied from the condenser (not shown) to the header at the bottom through a tube 14, and from the header it rises in the coils 13, while the refrigerant evaporated in the coils passes into the gas space in the top of the header, where it joins the vapor from the refrigerant in the latter and emerges therewith through the outlet 15, which is connected with the lower pressure or suction side of the compressor, not shown.

Extending rearwardly from the front of the brine tank, between the air flues 11 and heat-absorbing coils 13 so as to be embraced thereby, is a narrow chamber 16 having a hinged door 17 provided with a suitable latch 18. This chamber provides a space which does not share in the external circulation of air, in other words, is a dead air space, and hence can have a much lower temperature than the rest of the refrigerator. Accordingly the chamber can be conveniently used for making ice. For this purpose it can be provided with freezing pans and a rack therefor, for example the pans and rack described in my copending application Ser. No. 377,163.

As before stated, liquefied refrigerant is supplied to the bottom of the header 12 by pipe 14, while evaporated refrigerant emergesfrom the header through outlet 15. From the latter the gas is conducted by a horizontal pipe (not shown) to the low pressure or suction side of the compressor, which in turn delivers the gas under pressure to the condenser, where it is cooled to liquefaction, flowing thence through pipe 14 to the lower portion of the header 12. The glycerin or other lubricant used to lubricate the interior of the-compressor finds its way through the condenser into the heat-' absorbing chamber (composed of the header 12 and coils 13) and may accumulate therein to such an extent as to impair the lubrication of the compressor and also to materially decrease the effective heat-absorbing evaporated refrigerant is returned to the ressor.

hen the system is in operation, the pipe 19 contains a mixture of lubricant and liquid refrigerant. The pipe 19 surrounds the pipe 14, and'since the refrigerant in the latter is warmer than the refrigerant in pipe 19, the liquid in the latter is warmed and energetic evaporation therein ensues. The resulting gas forms bubbles in the pipe which rise therein and carry with them the glycerin or other lubricant, which of course does not evaporate, up to the refrigerant-return pipe where it meets the current of gas and is carried back to the compressor. Experience has shown that the velocity of the gas in the refrigerant-return pipe is ample to carry the lubricant to the fcompressor, and that the movement of the lubricant up the pipe 19 is in most cases more than fast enough to keep pace with the escape of lubricant from the condenser into the heat-absorbing chamber. Accumulation of lubricant of any material amount in the chamber is thus prevented and effective lubrication of the compressor is ensured. The outlet end of the refrigerant supply pipe 14 is turned up for a short distance, as shown in Fig. it, and the inlet orifice of the lubricant return pipe 19 is in the form of a slot 20 in the underside of the pipe.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction herein illustrated and described but can be embodied in other forms without departure from its spirit.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerating apparatus, a brine tank, a freezing chamber extending horizontally into the brine tank and open to the outside thereof at the front, a heat absorbing chamber in the brine tank, comprising a vertical header in rear of the freezing chamber and coiled pipes connected to the header at top and bottom and extending forwardly and back on opposite sides of the freezing chamber to embrace the same, and means for delivering refrigerant to and from the heat absorbing chamber.

2. In a refrigerating apparatus, a brine tank, a freezing chamber extending into the brine tank and open to the outside thereof, air fines extending through the brine tank at the sides of the freezing chamber, a heat absorbing chamber comprising pipe coils embracing the freezing chamber at the sides thereof and surrounding the air flues, and means for delivering refrigerant to and from the heat absorbing chamber.

3. In a refrigerating apparatus, a brine tank, a freezing chamber extending horizontally into the brine tank and open to the outside thereof, vertical air flues arranged at the sides of the freezing chamber and extending through the brine tank, heat absorbing pipes coiled around the re ctive air fiues individually, and means or delivering refrigerant to and from the heat absorbing pipes.

4. In a refrigerating apparatus, aibrine tank, a freezing chamber extending horizontally into the brine tank and open to the outside thereof at the front; a heat absorbing chamber in the brine tank, comprising a vertical receptacle located in rear of the freezing chamber, and coiled piping connected to the vertical receptacle and extending forwardly and back on both sides of the freezing chamber to embrace the same inside of the brine tank; and means for delivering liquefied refrigerant to and vaporized refrigerant from the heat absorbing chamber.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

EDWARD T. WILLIAMS. 

